Three-dimensional image display apparatus

ABSTRACT

It is aimed to reduce the occurrence of crosstalk attributable to the thermal expansion/contraction of a retarder and an image display section, and the unevenness in color attributable to the uneven surfaces of the retarder and the image display section. It is also aimed to reduce the misalignment of the retarder with respect to the image display section. The exit surface of an image display section  130  and the entrance surface of a retarder  180  are adhered to each other by using an adhesion layer  300 . Additionally, the left and right edges of the image display section  130  are adhered to the left and right edges of the retarder  180  by using adhesion regions  400 . Here, the adhesion regions  400  have a higher glass transition temperature than the adhesion layer  300.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application claims priority from a Japanese patentapplication No. 2008-015516 filed on Jan. 25, 2008, the contents ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a three-dimensional image displayapparatus and a manufacturing method thereof. More particularly, thepresent invention relates to a three-dimensional image display apparatusin which the peripheral portion of a retarder is adhered to an imagedisplay section, and to a manufacturing method for such athree-dimensional image display apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

A known three-dimensional image display apparatus includes a combinationof a liquid crystal display and a retarder, for example, as disclosed inJapanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-253824. In thisthree-dimensional image display apparatus, the retarder is adhered toone of the surfaces of the liquid crystal display which is closer to aviewer, by using an adhesive.

Here, the liquid crystal display and the retarder expand/contract whenheated up/cooled down during the manufacturing process of thethree-dimensional image display apparatus, and therefore deform. Apartfrom this, the retarder may have an uneven surface. For these reasons,the adhesive used to adhere together the liquid crystal display and theretarder is required to be flexible enough to be capable of deforming inresponse to the deformation of the liquid crystal display and theretarder or to be capable of realizing flatness in spite of thedistorted surfaces of the liquid crystal display and the retarder- andthe unevenness of the thicknesses of the liquid crystal display and theretarder. Which is to say, the adhesive is required to be sufficientlyflexible to be capable of absorbing the deformation and the unevennessof the surfaces.

One type of adhesives satisfying such a requirement are adhesives with areduced glass transition temperature. The adhesives having a low glasstransition temperature, however, are likely to creep when experiencingheat and force during the manufacturing process of the three-dimensionalimage display apparatus and when the three-dimensional image displayapparatus is used under the high-temperature environment. Therefore, theretarder may be misaligned with respect to the image display section ofthe liquid crystal display.

SUMMARY

Therefore, it is an object of an aspect of the innovations herein toprovide a three-dimensional image display apparatus and a manufacturingmethod thereof, which are capable of overcoming the above drawbacksaccompanying the related art. The above and other objects can beachieved by combinations described in the independent claims. Thedependent claims define further advantageous and exemplary combinationsof the innovations herein.

According to a first aspect related to the innovations herein, oneexemplary three-dimensional image display apparatus may include athree-dimensional image display apparatus including an image displaysection that includes an image generating section constituted by a righteye image generating region for generating right eye image light and aleft eye image generating region generating left eye image light, wherethe image display section emits (i) the right eye image light aslinearly polarized light whose polarization axis extends in a givendirection and (ii) the left eye image light as linearly polarized lightwhose polarization axis extends in a direction parallel to the givendirection, a retarder that is positioned in front of the image displaysection in a light proceeding direction, where the retarder includes aright eye polarization region and a left eye polarization region, anadhesion layer that adheres together an exit surface of the imagedisplay section and an entrance surface of the retarder, where theadhesion layer is provided in a region in which the right eyepolarization region and the left eye polarization region of the retarderoverlap the right eye image generating region and the left eye imagegenerating region of the image display section, and an adhesion regionthat adheres together the image display section and a periphery portionof the retarder. Here, when the right eye image light and the left eyeimage light emitted from the image display section are respectivelyincident on the right eye polarization region and the left eyepolarization region of the retarder, the retarder (I) emits the righteye image light as linearly polarized light whose polarization axisextends in a certain direction and emits the left eye image light aslinearly polarized light whose polarization axis extends in a directionorthogonal to the certain direction, or (II) emits the right eye imagelight as circularly polarized light whose polarization axis rotates inone direction and emits the left eye image light as circularly polarizedlight whose polarization axis rotates in an opposite direction. Also, aglass transition temperature of an adhesive forming the adhesion regionis higher than a glass transition temperature of an adhesive forming theadhesion layer.

According to a second aspect related to the innovations herein, oneexemplary manufacturing method may include a manufacturing method of athree-dimensional image display apparatus including an image displaysection that includes an image generating section constituted by a righteye image generating region for generating right eye image light and aleft eye image generating region generating left eye image light, wherethe image display section emits (i) the right eye image light aslinearly polarized light whose polarization axis extends in a givendirection and (ii) the left eye image light as linearly polarized lightwhose polarization axis extends in a direction parallel to the givendirection, and a retarder that is positioned in front of the imagedisplay section in a light proceeding direction, where the retarderincludes a right eye polarization region and a left eye polarizationregion. Here, when the right eye image light and the left eye imagelight emitted from the image display section are respectively incidenton the right eye polarization region and the left eye polarizationregion of the retarder, the retarder (I) emits the right eye image lightas linearly polarized light whose polarization axis extends in a certaindirection and emits the left eye image light as linearly polarized lightwhose polarization axis extends in a direction orthogonal to the certaindirection, or (II) emits the right eye image light as circularlypolarized light whose polarization axis rotates in one direction andemits the left eye image light as circularly polarized light whosepolarization axis rotates in an opposite direction. The manufacturingmethod includes attaching an adhesion sheet containing a curable resinto at least one of an exit surface of the image display section and anentrance surface of the retarder, where the adhesion sheet is formed ina region in which the right eye polarization region and the left eyepolarization region in the retarder overlap the right eye imagegenerating region and the left eye image generating region in the imagedisplay section, layering the retarder on the image display section insuch a manner that the entrance surface of the retarder faces the exitsurface of the image display section, applying a resin onto a peripheryportion of the image display section and onto a periphery portion of theretarder, adhering together the periphery portions by curing the resinapplied to the periphery portions, after layering the retarder on theimage display section and applying the resin to the periphery portions,and adhering together the image display section and the retarder bycuring the resin between the image display section and the retarder,after adhering together the periphery portions.

According to a third aspect related to the innovations herein, oneexemplary manufacturing method may include a manufacturing method of athree-dimensional image display apparatus including an image displaysection that includes an image generating section constituted by a righteye image generating region for generating right eye image light and aleft eye image generating region generating left eye image light, wherethe image display section emits (i) the right eye image light aslinearly polarized light whose polarization axis extends in a givendirection and (ii) the left eye image light as linearly polarized lightwhose polarization axis extends in a direction parallel to the givendirection, and a retarder that is positioned in front of the imagedisplay section in a light proceeding direction, where the retarderincludes a right eye polarization region and a left eye polarizationregion. Here, when the right eye image light and the left eye imagelight emitted from the image display section are respectively incidenton the right eye polarization region and the left eye polarizationregion of the retarder, the retarder (I) emits the right eye image lightas linearly polarized light whose polarization axis extends in a certaindirection and emits the left eye image light as linearly polarized lightwhose polarization axis extends in a direction orthogonal to the certaindirection, or (II) emits the right eye image light as circularlypolarized light whose polarization axis rotates in one direction andemits the left eye image light as circularly polarized light whosepolarization axis rotates in an opposite direction. The manufacturingmethod includes applying a resin onto at least one of an exit surface ofthe image display section and an entrance surface of the retarder, wherethe resin is applied in a region in which the right eye polarizationregion and the left eye polarization region in the retarder overlap theright eye image generating region and the left eye image generatingregion in the image display section, layering the retarder on the imagedisplay section in such a manner that the entrance surface of theretarder faces the exit surface of the image display section, afterapplying the resin, applying a resin onto a periphery portion of theimage display section and onto a periphery portion of the retarder,adhering together the periphery portions by curing the resin applied tothe periphery portions, after layering the retarder on the image displaysection and applying the resin onto the periphery portions, and adheringtogether the image display section and the retarder by curing the resinbetween the image display section and the retarder, after adheringtogether the periphery portions.

The summary clause does not necessarily describe all necessary featuresof the embodiments of the present invention. The present invention mayalso be a sub-combination of the features described above. The above andother features and advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent from the following description of the embodiments taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a three-dimensionalimage display apparatus 100 manufactured by a manufacturing methodrelating to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the usage state of thethree-dimensional image display apparatus 100.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating thethree-dimensional image display apparatus 100 housed within a case 110.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an antireflection layer 200.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an image displaysection 130 prior to an attaching step.

FIG. 6 is across-sectional view illustrating the attaching step.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the attaching step.

FIG. 8 is across-sectional view illustrating the attaching step.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a layering step.

FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a periphery applyingstep, and FIG. 10B is a plan view illustrating the periphery applyingstep.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a periphery adheringstep.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a vacuum laminating step.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an entire surfaceadhering step.

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a differentthree-dimensional image display apparatus 101 manufactured by themanufacturing method relating to the present embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a vacuum layering stepincluded in a different manufacturing method relating to an embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the vacuum layering stepincluded in the different manufacturing method relating to theembodiment.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an entire surfaceapplying step included in a different manufacturing method relating toan embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a layering step includedin the different manufacturing method relating to the embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a vacuum laminating stepincluded in the different manufacturing method relating to theembodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Some aspects of the invention will now be described based onembodiments, which do not intend to limit the scope of the presentinvention, but exemplify the invention. All of the features and thecombinations thereof described in the embodiments are not necessarilyessential to the invention.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a three-dimensionalimage display apparatus 100 manufactured by a manufacturing methodrelating to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the three-dimensional image display apparatus 100 includes alight source 120, an image display section 130, a retarder 180, and anantireflection layer 200, in the stated order. The image display section130 includes therein an entrance-side polarization plate 150, an imagegenerating section 160, and an exit-side polarization plate 170. Notethat the three-dimensional image display apparatus 100 may beconstructed without the antireflection layer 200. Here, a viewer 500(mentioned later) views a three-dimensional image displayed on thethree-dimensional image display apparatus 100 from the right of theantireflection layer 200 in FIG. 1.

The light source 120 is positioned most distant, in thethree-dimensional image display apparatus 100, from the viewer 500. Inthe state in which the three-dimensional image display apparatus 100 isused (hereinafter, simply referred to as “in the usage state of thethree-dimensional image display apparatus 100”), the light source 120emits white non-polarized light towards one of the surfaces of theentrance-side polarization plate 150. In the present embodiment, thelight source 120 is realized by a surface light source. In place of thesurface light source, the light source 120 may be realized by combininga point light source and a collective lens, for example. An example ofthe collective lens is a Fresnel lens sheet.

The entrance-side polarization plate 150 is positioned between the imagegenerating section 160 and the light source 120. The entrance-sidepolarization plate 150 has a transmission axis and an absorption axisorthogonal to the transmission axis. Therefore, when the non-polarizedlight emitted from the light source 120 is incident on the entrance-sidepolarization plate 150, the entrance-side polarization plate 150transmits therethrough light whose polarization axis is parallel to thedirection in which the transmission axis of the entrance-sidepolarization plate 150 extends, and blocks light whose polarization axisis parallel to the direction in which the absorption axis of theentrance-side polarization plate 150 extends. Here, the direction of thepolarization axis of light represents the vibration direction of theelectric field in the light. The transmission axis of the entrance-sidepolarization plate 150 extends in the direction having an angle of 45°,towards the upper right, with respect to the horizontal directiondefined when the viewer 500 views the three-dimensional image displayapparatus 100, as illustrated by the arrow in FIG. 1.

The image generating section 160 has right eye image generating regions162 and left eye image generating regions 164. As illustrated in FIG. 1,the right eye image generating regions 162 and the left eye imagegenerating regions 164 are obtained by partitioning the image generatingsection 160 into a plurality of regions each extending in the horizontaldirection. The right eye image generating regions 162 and the left eyeimage generating regions 164 are alternately arranged so as to beadjacent to each other in the vertical direction.

In the usage state of the three-dimensional image display apparatus 100,right eye images and left eye images are respectively generated in theright eye image generating regions 162 and the left eye image generatingregions 164 in the image generating section 160. Specifically speaking,when the light which has transmitted through the entrance-sidepolarization plate 150 is incident on the right eye image generatingregions 162 in the image generating section 160, the transmitted lightthrough the right eye image generating regions 162 constitutes imagelight for the right eye images (hereinafter, referred to as “the righteye image light”). Similarly, when the light which has transmittedthrough the entrance-side polarization plate 150 is incident on the lefteye image generating regions 164 in the image generating section 160,the transmitted light through the left eye image generating regions 164constitutes image light for the left eye images (hereinafter, referredto as “the left eye image light”).

Note that the right eye image light which has transmitted through theright eye image generating regions 162 and the left eye image lightwhich has transmitted through the left eye image generating regions 164are each linearly polarized light having a polarization axis extendingin a particular direction. The right eye image light and the left eyeimage light may have the polarization axes extending in the samedirection. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the polarization axes of theright eye image light and the left eye image light are set so as toextend in the same direction as the transmission axis of the exit-sidepolarization plate 170 (mentioned later). The image generating section160 having the above-described configuration is realized, for example,by using a liquid crystal display (LCD) configured in such a manner thata plurality of minute cells are arranged two-dimensionally in thehorizontal and vertical directions and liquid crystal is sealed betweenthe alignment films in each cell. When each cell is electrically drivenin the LCD, the state of each cell is switched between the state inwhich the cell transmits light therethrough without changing thedirection of the polarization axis of the light and the state in whichthe cell transmits light therethrough with rotating the direction of thepolarization axis of the light by an angle of 90°.

The exit-side polarization plate 170 is positioned between the imagegenerating section 160 and the viewer 500. When the right eye imagelight which has transmitted through the right eye image generatingregions 162 and the left eye image light which has transmitted throughthe left eye image generating regions 164 are incident on the exit-sidepolarization plate 170, the exit-side polarization plate 170 transmitstherethrough light whose polarization axis is parallel to thetransmission axis of the exit-side polarization plate 170, and blockslight whose polarization axis is parallel to the absorption axis of theexit-side polarization plate 170. The transmission axis of the exit-sidepolarization plate 170 extends in the direction having an angle of 45°,toward the upper left, with respect to the horizontal direction definedwhen the viewer 500 views the three-dimensional image display apparatus100, as illustrated by the arrow in FIG. 1. Which is to say, the righteye image light and the left eye image light emitted from the imagedisplay section 130 are each linear light, and have polarization axesparallel to each other. It should be noted that the polarization axes ofthe right eye image light and the left eye image light do not need to beexactly parallel to each other, and may only be required to beapproximately parallel to each other to such a degree that the viewer500 can perceive a three-dimensional image based on the right eye imagelight and the left eye image light.

The retarder 180 has right eye polarization regions 181 and left eyepolarization regions 182. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the positions andsizes of the right eye polarization regions 181 and the left eyepolarization regions 182 in the retarder 180 are determined incorrespondence with the positions and sizes of the right eye imagegenerating regions 162 and the left eye image generating regions 164 inthe image generating section 160. Therefore, in the usage state of thethree-dimensional image display apparatus 100, the right eye image lightwhich has transmitted through the right eye image generating regions 162is incident on the right eye polarization regions 181, and the left eyeimage light which has transmitted through the left eye image generatingregions 164 is incident on the left eye polarization regions 182.

In the surface of the retarder 180 which faces the image display section130, opaque sections 190 are provided on the borders between the righteye polarization regions 181 and the left eye polarization regions 182.Here, the left eye image light is expected to be incident on each lefteye polarization region 182 in the retarder 180, but partial light ofthe left eye image light actually tends to be incident on right eyepolarization regions 181 adjacent to the left eye polarization region182 across the boarders therebetween. Each opaque section 190 absorbsand thus blocks such partial light. Similarly, the right eye image lightis expected to be incident on each right eye polarization region 181 inthe retarder 180, but partial light of the right eye image lightactually tends to be incident on left eye polarization regions 182adjacent to the right eye polarization region 181 across the boarderstherebetween. Each opaque section 190 absorbs and thus blocks suchpartial light. Hence, by providing the opaque sections 190 on theborders in the retarder 180, less crosstalk is generated in the righteye image light and the left eye image light emitted from thethree-dimensional image display apparatus 100.

The right eye polarization regions 181 transmit therethrough theincident right eye image light without rotating the polarization axis.On the other hand, the left eye polarization regions 182 rotate thepolarization axis of the incident left eye image light so that thepolarization axis extends in the direction orthogonal to thepolarization axis of the right eye image light incident on the right eyepolarization regions 181. Therefore, the direction of the polarizationaxis of the right eye image light which has transmitted through theright eye polarization regions 181 becomes orthogonal to the directionof the polarization axis of the left eye image light which hastransmitted through the left eye polarization regions 182, asillustrated by the arrows in FIG. 1. Here, the directions of thepolarization axes of the right eye image light and the left eye imagelight may not cross each other at exactly right angles, but may only berequired to be approximately orthogonal to each other to such a degreethat the viewer 500 can perceive a three-dimensional image based on theright eye image light and the left eye image light.

Note that, in FIG. 1, each of the arrows in the retarder 180 indicatesthe direction of the polarization axis of the polarized light which hastransmitted through the retarder 180. The right eye polarization regions181 are formed, for example, by using a transparent resin, transparentglass, or the like. The left eye polarization regions 182 are formed,for example, by using half wavelength retarders whose optical axis hasan angle of 45° with respect to the direction of the polarization axisof the left eye image light which is incident on the left eyepolarization regions 182. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the opticalaxis of the left eye polarization regions 182 extends in the horizontalor vertical direction. Here, the optical axis indicates one of the phaseadvancing axis and the phase delaying axis which are defined when thelight transmits through the left eye polarization regions 182.Differently from the above-described configuration of the retarder 180,both the right eye polarization regions 181 and the left eyepolarization regions 182 may be formed by using half wavelengthretarders. In this case, similarly, when the right eye image light andthe left eye image light are incident on the retarder 180, the right eyepolarization regions 181 and the left eye polarization regions 182 mayemit linearly polarized light for the right eye image and linearlypolarized light for the left eye image which have polarization axesorthogonal to each other.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the usage state of thethree-dimensional image display apparatus 100. When viewing athree-dimensional image by means of the three-dimensional image displayapparatus 100, the viewer 500 views the right eye image light and theleft eye image light projected from the three-dimensional image displayapparatus 100 with wearing polarized glasses 220, as illustrated in FIG.2. The polarized glasses 220 have a right eye image transmitting section232 and a left eye image transmitting section 234. When the viewer 500wears the polarized glasses 220, the right eye image transmittingsection 232 is positioned in correspondence with a right eye 512 of theviewer 500, and the left eye image transmitting section 234 ispositioned in correspondence with a left eye 514 of the viewer 500. Theright eye image transmitting section 232 and the left eye imagetransmitting section 234 are formed by using polarized lenses whosetransmission axes extend in different directions, and are fixed to theframe of the polarized glasses 220.

The right eye image transmitting section 232 is formed as a polarizationplate in which the transmission axis extends in the same direction asthe polarization axis of the right eye image light which has transmittedthrough the right eye polarization regions 181 and the absorption axisextends in the direction orthogonal to the direction of the transmissionaxis. The left eye image transmitting section 234 is formed as apolarization plate in which the transmission axis extends in the samedirection as the polarization axis of the left eye image light which hastransmitted through the left eye polarization regions 182 and theabsorption axis extends in the direction orthogonal to the direction ofthe transmission axis. The right eye image transmitting section 232 andthe left eye image transmitting section 234 are formed by usingpolarization lenses having polarization films attached thereto. Here,the polarization films are obtained, for example, by uniaxiallyelongating films in which a dichroic dye is immersed.

To view a three-dimensional image by means of the three-dimensionalimage display apparatus 100, the viewer 500 views the three-dimensionalimage display apparatus 100 with wearing the polarized glasses 220 asmentioned earlier, within the reach of the right eye image light and theleft eye image light which have transmitted through the right eyepolarization regions 181 and the left eye polarization regions 182 inthe retarder 180. With the above-described polarized glasses 220, theright eye 512 can be limited to only view the right eye image light, andthe left eye 514 can be limited to only view the left eye image light.As a result, the viewer 500 can perceive a three-dimensional image basedon the right eye image light and the left eye image light.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating thethree-dimensional image display apparatus 100 housed within a case 110.As illustrated in FIG. 3, the image display section 130 is supported byan external frame 165. Additionally, the retarder 180 and theantireflection layer 200 are attached to the exit surface of the imagedisplay section 130. The case 110 houses therein the light source 120and the image display section 130. Here, the retarder 180 is adhered tothe image display section 130 by way of an adhesion layer 300 andadhesion regions 400.

The adhesion layer 300 preferably has the same thickness as the opaquesections 190. Here, the adhesion layer 300 and the opaque sections 190may have exactly the same thickness, or the adhesion layer 300 may be upto approximately 1.5 times as thick as the opaque sections 190. Forexample, when the opaque sections 190 have a thickness of 10 μm to 15μm, the adhesion layer 300 preferably has a thickness of 10 μm to 20 μm.As an alternative example, when the opaque sections 190 have a thicknessof 2 μm to 3 μm, the adhesion layer 300 preferably has a thickness of 2μm to 5 μm. The thickness of the adhesion layer 300 represents thethickness from the entrance surfaces of the right eye polarizationregions 181 and the left eye polarization regions 182 in the retarder180 to the exit surface of the exit-side polarization plate 170 in theimage generating section 160. As the thickness of the opaque sections190 decreases, it becomes less likely that bubbles are present betweenthe adhesion layer 300 and the retarder 180.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of the antireflection layer 200. In thethree-dimensional image display apparatus 100, the antireflection layer200 is positioned between the retarder 180 and the viewer 500. Theantireflection layer 200 has therein an adhesion layer 202, a basemember 204, a hard coating layer 206, a resin 208 with a high refractiveindex, and a resin 210 with a low refractive index in the stated order,which are formed on a glass substrate 183 of the retarder 180.

The adhesion layer 202 has a thickness of 25 μm, for example. The basemember 204 is, for example, made of triacetyl cellulose (TAC) and has athickness of 80 μm. The hard coating layer 206 has a thickness of 5 μm,for example. The high-refractive-index resin 208 and thelow-refractive-index resin 210 respectively have refractive indices of1.65 and 1.40, and have the same thickness of 0.1 μm. Note that theantireflection layer 200 is not limited to the above example and can bevaried provided that the antireflection layer 200 does not disturb thepolarized light emitted from the three-dimensional image displayapparatus 100.

The following describes the manufacturing method of the above-describedthree-dimensional image display apparatus 100. The manufacturing methodof the three-dimensional image display apparatus 100 relating to thepresent embodiment includes an attaching step and a layering step (analignment step), a spot adhering step (a periphery adhering step), avacuum laminating step (a laminating step), an autoclaving step, and anentire surface UV adhering step (an entire surface adhering step).

In the attaching step, the adhesion layer 300 is formed on the imagedisplay section 130. In the layering step, the retarder 180 is layeredon the image display section 130 in such a manner that the exit surfaceof the image display section 130 faces the retarder 180. The pointadhering step includes a periphery applying step and a peripheryadhering step. In the periphery applying step, a resin is applied to theperiphery of the exit surface of the image display section 130 and tothe periphery of the retarder 180. In the periphery adhering step, theresin that has been applied in the periphery applying step is cured sothat the exit surface of the image display section 130 is adhered to theperiphery of the retarder 180.

In the vacuum laminating step, the image display section 130 and theretarder 180 are pressed against each other in the vacuum state, to belaminated together. In the autoclaving step, the image display section130 and the retarder 180 are heated. In the entire surface UV adheringstep, the adhesion layer 300 is cured so that the image display section130 and the retarder 180 are adhered to each other.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the imagedisplay section 130 prior to the attaching step. Referring to the imagedisplay section 130 shown in FIG. 5, the image generating section 160includes an entrance-side glass substrate 142 and an exit-side glasssubstrate 144. Furthermore, the image generating section 160 includesthe right eye image generating regions 162 and the left eye imagegenerating regions 164 which are formed by the liquid crystal sealedbetween the entrance-side glass substrate 142 and the exit-side glasssubstrate 144. Here, the entrance-side polarization plate 150 ispositioned on the entrance surface of the entrance-side glass substrate142, and the exit-side polarization plate 170 is positioned on the exitsurface of the exit-side glass substrate 144.

FIG. 6 is across-sectional view illustrating the attaching step. Asillustrated in FIG. 6, the attaching step includes a sub-step ofattaching an adhesion sheet 700 to the entrance surface of the retarder180. In the present example, the adhesion sheet 700 includes theadhesion layer 300 and a separation film 710 that supports the adhesionlayer 300. The adhesive constituting the adhesion layer 300 is anultraviolet curable resin, for example, a urethane acrylate resin suchas ThreeBond® 1630 produced by ThreeBond® Co., Ltd.

According to the example shown in FIG. 6, the adhesion sheet 700 isplaced on the retarder 180 in such a manner that the adhesion layer 300is placed on the surface including the opaque sections 190. In thismanner, the adhesion sheet 700 is attached to the retarder 180. Here,the adhesion sheet 700 may be obtained by pulling out a predeterminedlength from the rolls of adhesion sheet, and cutting off thepredetermined length of adhesion sheet. Alternatively, the adhesionsheet 700 may be one of the single-cut sheets formed in advance. Whenthe opaque sections 190 have a thickness of 3 μm to 10 μm, the adhesionlayer 300 of the adhesion sheet 700 preferably has a thickness of 15 μmto 75 μm. When this condition is satisfied, the resin can besufficiently spread within the depressed portions between the opaquesections 190. As a result, a flat and smooth surface can be achieved.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a sub-step of theattaching step, which is subsequent to the sub-step shown in FIG. 6. Asillustrated in FIG. 7, the attaching step further includes a sub-step ofpressing a heated roller 800 against the separation film 710 of theadhesion sheet 700 which has been attached to the entrance surface ofthe retarder 180, to laminate the adhesion sheet 700 onto the retarder180. In the laminating sub-step shown in FIG. 7, the roller 800 heatedup to 80° C. to 85° C. is rotated and moved in the direction indicatedby the arrow in FIG. 7 at the speed of 0.3 m/min on the adhesion layer300 of the adhesion sheet 700 within a chamber in which the pressure isset to the atmospheric pressure (0.1 MPa). In this way, the adhesionsheet 700 is provisionally adhered to the retarder 180. By carrying outthe laminating sub-step with the use of the heated roller 800, theadhesion layer 300 can fill the depressed portions formed by the opaquesections 190. As a result, the adhesion layer 300 is provided on theentire entrance surface of the retarder 180.

Here, it is preferable to concurrently perform the sub-step shown inFIG. 6 of attaching the adhesion sheet 700 to the retarder 180 and thelaminating sub-step shown in FIG. 7. This can reduce the number of stepsin the manufacturing method.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a sub-step in theattaching step which is subsequent to the sub-step shown in FIG. 7. Asillustrated in FIG. 8, the attaching step further includes a sub-step ofremoving the separation film 710 of the laminated adhesion sheet 700,from the adhesion layer 300. By performing this sub-step, the adhesionlayer 300 remains attached to the retarder 180 in the state ofexternally exposed.

In the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8, the adhesionsheet 700 is adhered and laminated onto the retarder 180. Alternatively,the adhesion sheet 700 may be adhered and laminated onto the imagedisplay section 130.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the layering step. In thelayering step, the retarder 180 is put on the image display section 130in such a manner that the adhesion layer 300 faces the exit-sidepolarization plate 170. Subsequently, the alignment between the retarder180 and the image display section 130 is adjusted.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the right eye polarization regions 181 and theleft eye polarization regions 182 of the retarder 180 are supported bythe glass substrate 183. The glass substrate 183 of the retarder 180 isthicker than the exit-side glass substrate 144 of the image displaysection 130, and the retarder 180 and the image display section 130 areadhered to each other at their entire surfaces. Therefore, the presentembodiment can reduce the thickness of the exit-side glass substrate 144with it being possible to maintain sufficient strength. The reduction inthe thickness of the exit-side glass substrate 144 decreases thedistance from the image generating section 160 of the image displaysection 130 to the right eye polarization regions 181 and the left eyepolarization regions 182 of the retarder 180, thereby widening theviewing angle. For example, when the glass substrate 183 has a thicknessof 0.7 mm, the thickness of the exit-side glass substrate 144 can bereduced so as to be equal to or smaller than 0.5 mm.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views illustrating the peripheryapplying step in the point adhering step. In the periphery applyingstep, a resin (i.e., an adhesive) is applied onto a pair of left andright side surfaces 189 of the retarder 180 (the periphery portions ofthe retarder 180) and onto the left and right edge portions of the exitsurface of the image display section 130, that is to say, the left andright edge portions of the exit-side glass substrate 144. Note that theresin forms a plurality of separate portions each of which has apredetermined width and which are arranged at predetermined intervals oneach side surface 189.

In the above-described manner, the periphery applying step forms aplurality of adhesion regions 400 spaced away from each other on thepair of left and right side surfaces 189 of the retarder 180. The resinused in this step is, for example, an ultraviolet curable resinexemplified by an epoxy resin such as ThreeBond® 3114 and 3114B producedby ThreeBond® Co., Ltd. When the three-dimensional image displayapparatus 100 has a 46-inch screen size, for example, the applied resinforms four regions each of which has a width of 2 mm and which arearranged at an interval of 80 mm, on each of the side surfaces 189 andon each of the edge portions of the image display section 130 which arepositioned more outside than the side surfaces 189.

The lateral width of the exit-side polarization plate 170 is set smallerthan the lateral width of the retarder 180. Thus, the adhesion regions400 on the left and right sides are spaced away from the left and rightside surfaces of the exit-side polarization plate 170. Additionally, theadhesion regions 400 are formed on the side surfaces of the glasssubstrate 183 in the retarder 180, and on the left and right edgeportions of the exit-side glass substrate 144 in the image displaysection 130. Therefore, the expansion and contraction of the exit-sidepolarization plate 170 does not affect the adhesion regions 400. As aresult, the present embodiment enables the viewer 500 to view a stablethree-dimensional image.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the periphery adheringstep in the point adhering step. In the periphery adhering step,ultraviolet light is locally irradiated to the adhesion regions 400, sothat the resin forming the adhesion regions 400 cures. For example, theultraviolet light is irradiated under the condition that the integrallight quantity is 3000 mJ/cm². As a result of the ultraviolet lightirradiation, the left and right side surfaces of the glass substrate 183in the retarder 180 are adhered to the left and right edge portions ofthe exit-side glass substrate 144 in the image display section 130.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the vacuum laminatingstep. In the vacuum laminating step, the image display section 130 andthe retarder 180, which have been subjected to the above-described pointadhering step, are placed on a stage 610 with the retarder 180 facingupwards within a vacuum furnace having the reduced pressure. Under thereduced pressure within the vacuum furnace, a roller 600 is rotatedwhile being pressed against the glass substrate 183 of the retarder 180.For example, the vacuuming is performed for one minute, and thelaminating processing is performed for six minutes at the laminatingpressure of 950 MPa and at the laminating temperature of 80° C.

As a result of the vacuum laminating step, the image display section 130and the retarder 180 are laminated together, and the resins forming theadhesion layer 300 and the adhesion regions 400 are deaerated. This canenable the adhesion layer 300 to have an even thickness, and enhance theflatness of the image display section 130 and the retarder 180 and thedegree of parallelism between the image display section 130 and theretarder 180. Also, this can improve the transparency and adhesivenessof the resins. In the present embodiment, the roller laminatingtechnique is adopted. Apart from this technique, the diaphragmlaminating technique can be also employed, for example.

On completion of the laminating step, the thickness of the adhesionlayer 300 preferably becomes equal to the thickness of the opaquesections 190. During the laminating step, the roller may be rotated soas to move in the direction in which the right eye image generatingregions 162 and the left eye image generating regions 164 are adjacentto each other, as illustrated in FIG. 12. Alternatively, the roller maybe rotated so as to move in the direction orthogonal to the movingdirection illustrated in FIG. 12, that is to say, in the direction inwhich the right eye image generating regions 162 and the left eye imagegenerating regions 164 extend.

The above-described vacuum laminating step is followed by theautoclaving step. In the autoclaving step, the image display section 130and the retarder 180 are heated within an atmosphere in which thepressure is higher than the atmospheric pressure. The pressure of theatmosphere in which the heating step is carried out is preferably sethigher than the laminating pressure for the above-described vacuumlaminating step. In the autoclaving step, the image display section 130and the retarder 180 are placed for one hour within a chamber in whichthe temperature is set at 80° C. and the pressure is set at 0.6 MPa, forexample.

The autoclaving step can remove the distortion which is generated in theimage display section 130 and the retarder 180 during the vacuumlaminating step. The autoclaving step can also squish down or push outthe bubbles in the adhesion layer 300 which remain even after the vacuumlaminating step.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the entire surface UVadhering step. In the entire surface UV adhering step, ultraviolet lightis irradiated, through the retarder 180, towards the adhesion layer 300which has been subjected to the above-described autoclaving step, so asto cure the resin constituting the adhesion layer 300. For example, theirradiated ultraviolet light has an illuminance of 180 mW/cm², anintegral light quantity of 3000 mJ/cm², and a wavelength of 365 nm.Within the resin constituting the adhesion layer 300, the ultravioletlight is irradiated to the regions formed between the opaque sections190 of the retarder 180, and the resin in the irradiated regions cures.

In addition, heat is externally applied to the adhesion layer 300 withthe use of a heater or the like, so that the entire adhesion layer 300cures. This heating can cure the resin in the regions to which theultraviolet light has not been irradiated, thereby adhering together theimage display section 130 and the retarder 180 in a more reliablemanner. The ultraviolet light irradiation step and the heating step withthe heater may be performed at the same time.

The image display section 130 and the retarder 180, which have beenadhered to each other in the above-described manner, are attached to thecase 110 shown in FIG. 3. In this manner, the three-dimensional imagedisplay apparatus 100 is manufactured. The resin forming the adhesionregions 400 has a higher glass transition temperature (Tg) than theresin constituting the adhesion layer 300. For example, while the resinforming the adhesion regions 400 has a glass transition temperature of80° C. or higher, the resin forming the adhesion layer 300 has a glasstransition temperature of 0° C. or lower, to be more specific, −20° C.

In this case, the temperature of the resin forming the adhesion regions400 is equal to or lower than its glass transition temperature in all ofthe steps from the periphery applying step to the entire surface UVadhering step. On the other hand, the temperature of the resin formingthe adhesion layer 300 is higher than its glass transition temperaturein all of the steps after the attaching step. Hence, the resin formingthe adhesion layer 300 changes its state from the glass state to therubber state while the point adhering step, the vacuum laminating step,the autoclaving step, and the entire surface UV adhering step arecarried out. On the other hand, the resin forming the adhesion regions400 maintains the glass state in terms of the viscosity and rigidity,when compared with the resin forming the adhesion layer 300.

For the reasons stated above, even though one of the image displaysection 130 and the retarder 180 is deformed by theexpansion/contraction attributed to the heating carried out in each stepafter the attaching step, the adhesion layer 300 and the other of theimage display section 130 and the retarder 180 can respond to thedeformation, according to the present embodiment. The present embodimentcan also reduce the misalignment between the image display section 130and the retarder 180. Therefore, the present embodiment can reduce theoccurrence of optical interference (for example, a pattern like Newton'srings) between the image display section 130 and the retarder 180 whenthe three-dimensional image display apparatus 100 is used (i.e. athree-dimensional image is viewed). In particular, the presentembodiment can produce significant effects in improving the imagequality of three-dimensional images viewed on a large screen, since thedeformation that is generated in the image display section 130 and theretarder 180 increases as the screen size increases.

The image display section 130 and the retarder 180 may have distortedsurfaces or uneven thicknesses. According to the present embodiment,however, the adhesion layer 300 with a low viscosity compensates thedistortion of the surfaces and the unevenness of the thicknesses.Therefore, a constant distance can be achieved between the image displaysection 130 and the retarder 180, and the adhesion layer 300 cancompletely fill the space between the image display section 130 and theretarder 180. Accordingly, the internal reflection can be reducedbetween the image display section 130 and the retarder 180, andcrosstalk can be prevented. Since the present embodiment can reduce theunevenness of the distance between the image display section 130 and theretarder 180, the unevenness in color can be reduced. As a result, thepresent embodiment can prevent the degradation in the image quality ofthree-dimensional images.

According to the present embodiment, the glass transition temperature ofthe resin forming the adhesion regions 400 is equal to or higher thanthe temperature condition in each step after the point adhering step.Therefore, the adhesion regions 400 maintain sufficient adhesionstrength to support the weight of the retarder 180 in each step afterthe point adhering step, even when the adhesion layer 300 can notmaintain sufficient adhesion strength to support the weight of theretarder 180. For this reason, the retarder 180 can be prevented frommoving downward due to its own weight. As a consequence, the presentembodiment can reduce vertical misalignment of the retarder 180 withrespect to the image display section 130.

The glass transition temperature of the resin forming the adhesionregions 400 is higher than the temperature under which the manufacturedthree-dimensional image display apparatus 100 is expected to be used.Hence, the adhesion regions 400 maintain sufficient adhesion strength tosupport the weight of the retarder 180, even if the adhesion layer 300creeps due to the ambient heat under the high-temperature environment,the heat generated by the image display section 130, or the like.Therefore, the present embodiment can prevent the retarder 180 frommoving downward due to its own weight when the manufacturedthree-dimensional image display apparatus 100 is used in the anticipatedenvironment. Consequently, the present embodiment can reduce verticalmisalignment of the retarder 180 with respect to the image displaysection 130.

In the present embodiment, the adhesion regions 400 are formed on theleft and right side surfaces of the retarder 180 and at the left andright edge portions of the image display section 130, in such a manneras to be arranged at predetermined intervals. This configuration candecrease the influence of the contraction stress, which is generatedwhen the resin forming the adhesion regions 400 cures, on the retarder180 and the image display section 130. In the present embodiment, evenif the above contraction stress distorts the retarder 180, the adhesionlayer 300 can absorb/alleviate the distortion. In this way, the presentembodiment can minimize the influence of the distortion of the retarder180 on the contrast of the image display section 130 (can reduce theoccurrence of the unevenness in color).

In the present embodiment, the left and right side surfaces 189 of theretarder 180 are adhered to the left and right edge portions of theimage display section 130 by means of the adhesion regions 400. Withthis configuration, the adhesion regions 400 are positioned outside theimage region. As a result, the image region can be used in its entirety.In the present embodiment, the side surfaces 189 of the retarder 180 canbe adhered to the exit surface of the image display section 130 byaccumulating the adhesive in the corner portions defined by the sidesurfaces 189 of the retarder 180 and the exit surface of the imagedisplay section 130 after the layering step is completed. Consequently,the present embodiment can simplify the adhering processing.

In the present embodiment, the glass substrate 183 of the retarder 180is adhered at the left and right sides thereof to the exit-side glasssubstrate 144 of the image display section 130. If the same adhesionstrength can be maintained, however, the glass substrate 183 of theretarder 180 may be adhered at both or one of its upper and lower sidesto the image display section 130. Here, the glass substrate 183 of theretarder 180 may be realized by using a film base member which has lowthermal expansion/contraction. This configuration can reduce the weightof the retarder 180, thereby preventing the retarder 180 from movingdownwards. Such a film base member may be adhered to the exit-side glasssubstrate 144, at its four sides, two sides or one side. When the filmbase member contracts more significantly than a glass base member, thefilm base member is preferably adhered at its four sides to theexit-side glass substrate 144.

In the present embodiment, the adhesion regions 400 are spaced away fromthe exit-side polarization plate 170. This configuration can prevent thethermal expansion/contraction of the exit-side polarization plate 170from affecting the image display section 130 and the retarder 180through the adhesion regions 400. In the present embodiment, the glasssubstrate 183 of the retarder 180, which is directly adhered to theexit-side glass substrate 144 of the image display section 130, haslower thermal expansion/contraction than the retarder 180. Therefore,the present embodiment can further reduce the above-mentionedmisalignment.

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a differentthree-dimensional image display apparatus 101 manufactured by themanufacturing method relating to the present embodiment. Some of theconstituents of the three-dimensional image display apparatus 101illustrated in FIG. 14 are the same as the corresponding constituents ofthe above-described three-dimensional image display apparatus 100. Suchconstituents are assigned the same reference numerals and are notexplained here. As illustrated in FIG. 14, the three-dimensional imagedisplay apparatus 101 is different from the three-dimensional imagedisplay apparatus 100 in terms of having a retarder 185, in place of theretarder 180. The retarder 185 has right eye polarization regions 186and left eye polarization regions 187.

The right eye polarization regions 186 and the left eye polarizationregions 187 are both formed by using quarter wave retarders. The opticalaxis of the right eye polarization regions 186 is orthogonal to theoptical axis of the left eye polarization regions 187. Similarly to thepositions and sizes of the right eye polarization regions 181 and theleft eye polarization regions 182 in the retarder 180, the positions andsizes of the right eye polarization regions 186 and the left eyepolarization regions 187 in the retarder 185 are determined incorrespondence with the positions and sizes of the right eye imagegenerating regions 162 and the left eye image generating regions 164 inthe image generating section 160. Therefore, in the usage state of thethree-dimensional image display apparatus 101, the right eye image lightwhich has transmitted through the right eye image generating regions 162is incident on the right eye polarization regions 186, and the left eyeimage light which has transmitted through the left eye image generatingregions 164 is incident on the left eye polarization regions 187.

The opaque sections 190 are provided on the borders between the righteye polarization regions 186 and the left eye polarization regions 187,on the surface of the retarder 185 which faces the image display section130. Here, the left eye image light is expected to be incident on eachleft eye polarization region 187 in the retarder 185, but partial lightof the left eye image light actually tends to be incident on right eyepolarization regions 186 adjacent to the left eye polarization region187 across the boarders therebetween. Each opaque section 190 absorbsand thus blocks such partial light.

Similarly, the right eye image light is expected to be incident on eachright eye polarization region 186 in the retarder 185, but partial lightof the right eye image light actually tends to be incident on left eyepolarization regions 187 adjacent to the right eye polarization region186 across the boarders therebetween. Each opaque section 190 absorbsand thus blocks such partial light. Hence, by providing the opaquesections 190 on the borders in the retarder 185, less crosstalk isgenerated in the right eye image light and the left eye image lightemitted from the three-dimensional image display apparatus 101.

The retarder 185 converts the incident light into circularly polarizedlight whose polarization axis rotates in a certain direction and intocircularly polarized light whose polarization axis rotates in anopposite direction, and emits the circularly polarized light whosepolarization axis rotates in a certain direction and the circularlypolarized light whose polarization axis rotates in an oppositedirection. For example, the right eye polarization regions 186 convertthe incident light into circularly polarized light with a clockwiserotating direction and emit the circularly polarized light, and the lefteye polarization regions 187 convert the incident light into circularlypolarized light with an anticlockwise rotating direction and emits thecircularly polarized light. Note that the arrows written in the retarder185 in FIG. 14 indicate the rotating directions of the polarized lightwhich is generated by the retarder 185. For example, the right eyepolarization regions 186 are formed by using quarter wave retarderswhose optical axis extends in the horizontal direction, and the left eyepolarization regions 187 are formed by using quarter wave retarderswhose optical axis extends in the vertical direction.

In the three-dimensional image display apparatus 101 illustrated in FIG.14, the image generating section 160 and the retarder 185 are adhered toeach other by means of the adhesion layer 300 and the adhesion regions400, as in the three-dimensional image display apparatus 100. With thisconfiguration, the adhesion layer 300 absorbs the deformation andthickness unevenness of the image display section 130 and the retarder185. Also, the above configuration can reduce the misalignment of theretarder 185 with respect to the image display section 130.

When viewing the three-dimensional image display apparatus 101 havingtherein the retarder 185 illustrated in FIG. 14, the viewer 500 wearspolarized glasses having combinations of a quarter wave retarder and apolarization lens which are respectively positioned in correspondencewith the right eye 512 and the left eye 514. Referring to the polarizedglasses, the quarter wave retarder positioned in correspondence with theright eye 512 of the viewer 500 has an optical axis extending in thehorizontal direction, and the quarter wave retarder positioned incorrespondence with the left eye 514 of the viewer 500 has an opticalaxis extending in the vertical direction. The polarization lenspositioned in correspondence with the right eye 512 of the viewer 500and the polarization lens positioned in correspondence with the left eye514 of the viewer 500 both have transmission axes extending rightward atan angle of 45° when seen from the viewer 500 and absorption axesextending in the direction orthogonal to the direction of thetransmission axes.

When the circularly polarized light whose polarization axis rotatesclockwise when seen from the viewer 500 is incident on the combinationof the quarter wave retarder and the polarization lens corresponding tothe right eye 512 of the viewer 500, the quarter wave retarder having anoptical axis extending in the horizontal direction converts thecircularly polarized light into linearly polarized light extendingrightward at an angle of 45°. The linearly polarized light subsequentlytransmits through the polarization lens, and is then viewed by the righteye 512 of the viewer 500. On the other hand, when the circularlypolarized light whose polarization axis rotates anticlockwise when seenfrom the viewer 500 is incident on the combination of the quarter waveretarder and the polarization lens corresponding to the left eye 514 ofthe viewer 500, the quarter wave retarder having an optical axisextending in the vertical direction converts the circularly polarizedlight into linearly polarized light extending rightward at an angle of45°. The linearly polarized light subsequently transmits through thepolarization lens, and is then viewed by the left eye 514 of the viewer500. As stated, when the viewer 500 views the three-dimensional imagedisplay apparatus 101 with wearing the polarized glasses, what the righteye 512 views can be limited to the right eye image light and what theleft eye 514 views can be limited to the left eye image light. As aresult, the viewer 500 can perceive a three-dimensional image based onthe right eye image light and the left eye image light.

FIGS. 15 and 16 are cross-sectional views illustrating a vacuum layeringstep included in a different manufacturing method relating to anembodiment of the present invention. The different manufacturing methodis different from the manufacturing method described with reference toFIGS. 5 to 13 in terms of having the vacuum layering step in place ofthe layering step. Some of the configurations and effects of thedifferent manufacturing method are the same as the correspondingconfigurations and effects of the manufacturing method described withreference to FIGS. 5 to 13. Such configurations and effects are assignedwith the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 5 to 13 and not explainedhere.

In the vacuum layering step, the image display section 130 is placed ona lower plate 900 in such a manner that the exit-side polarization plate170 faces upward, and the retarder 180 is attached to an upper plate 910in such a manner that the adhesion layer 300 faces downward, asillustrated in FIG. 15. While this state is maintained, the imagedisplay section 130 and the retarder 180 are aligned to each other. Theupper and lower plates 910 and 900 are disposed so as to verticallyoppose each other within a closed space. The upper plate 910 isconfigured so as to be capable of coming into contact with and movingaway from the lower plate 900.

In the vacuum layering step, after the image display section 130 and theretarder 180 are respectively placed on the lower plate 900 and theupper plate 910, the vacuum atmosphere is realized within the space inwhich the image display section 130 and the retarder 180 are placed onthe lower plate 900 and the upper plate 910. For example, the vacuum of1 to 1000 Pa is achieved within the space.

As illustrated in FIG. 16, the upper plate 910 is moved towards thelower plate 900, so that the retarder 180 and the image display section130 are attached with pressure to each other with the adhesion layer 300therebetween. When this procedure is carried out, how much and how longthe adhesion layer 300 is pressed is controlled. For example, theadhesion layer 300 has a thickness of 35 μm before being pressed, butthe thickness is reduced by 5 to 25 μm by the pressing procedure. Theadhesion layer 300 is kept pressed for a time duration of 10 to 90seconds.

The above-described vacuum layering step relating to the presentembodiment can prevent bubbles from being created between the adhesionlayer 300 and the image display section 130 in the layering step,thereby rendering it unnecessary to carry out the vacuum laminating stepwhich aims to eliminate such bubbles. This means that the heating in thevacuum laminating step can be omitted. Here, the heating may cause themisalignment of the retarder 180 with respect to the image displaysection 130. Therefore, the above-described vacuum layering step canprevent such misalignment.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an entire surfaceapplying step included in a different manufacturing method relating toan embodiment of the present invention. The different manufacturingmethod is different from the manufacturing method described withreference to FIGS. 5 to 13 in terms of having the entire surfaceapplying step in place of the attaching step. Some of the configurationsand effects of the different manufacturing method are the same as thecorresponding configurations and effects of the manufacturing methoddescribed with reference to FIGS. 5 to 13. Such configurations andeffects are assigned with the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 5 to13 and not explained here.

In the entire surface applying step, a resin is applied to the exitsurface of the exit-side polarization plate 170 included in the imagedisplay section 130, so as to form the adhesion layer 300, asillustrated in FIG. 17. Here, the resin is applied at least to theregion through which the right eye image generating regions 162 and theleft eye image generating regions 164 in the image display section 130oppose the right eye polarization regions 181 and the left eyepolarization regions 182 of the retarder 180. Alternatively, the resinmay be applied to the entire surface of the exit-side polarization plate170.

The resin may be applied by using a die coater, a gravure coater or thelike. In the entire surface applying step, the thickness of the adhesionlayer 300 (before the resin is cured) may be equal to or smaller thanthe thickness of the opaque sections 190. In the entire surface applyingstep, the thickness of the adhesion layer 300 (before the resin iscured) can be appropriately determined in accordance with the factorsincluding the area of the depressed portion between adjacent ones of theopaque sections 190 and the thickness of the opaque section 190.

The entire surface applying step preferably uses a resin which cureswhen exposed to heat as well as ultraviolet light. Such a resin curableby both ultraviolet light and heat may contain an epoxy group and afunctional group having an unsaturated double bond in the side chain.Alternatively, a UV-curable resin and a thermosetting resin may be mixedtogether and the mixture may be applied in the entire surface applyingstep.

If this is the case, the UV-curable resin may be urethane acrylate,unsaturated polyester acrylate or the like. The thermosetting resin maybe an unsaturated polyester resin, a diallyl phthalate resin, a urethaneresin or the like. The above-mentioned resin preferably has a viscosityof 500 cps to 1000 cps at a normal temperature (25° C.). When theviscosity is lower than 500 cps, the applied resin may leak outside.When the viscosity is higher than 1000 cps, the resin is less likely toreach the portions between the opaque sections 190, and therefore maynot be sufficiently spread all over.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a layering step. In thislayering step, the retarder 180 is placed on the image display section130 in such a manner that the adhesion layer 300 formed on the imagedisplay section 130 faces the opaque sections 190. With the retarder 180being kept placed on the image display section 130, the image displaysection 130 and the retarder 180 are put into a vacuum furnace.Subsequently, the pressure inside the vacuum furnace is reduced, so thata deaerating step of deaerating the resin is carried out. In thedeaerating step, the resin may be deaerated by supplying ultrasonicoscillation to the image display section 130 and the retarder 180.

FIG. 19 is across-sectional view illustrating a laminating step. In thislaminating step, the image display section 130 and the retarder 180,which have been subjected to the layering step, are placed on the stage610 with the retarder 180 facing upward. Subsequently, the roller 600 isrotated while pressing down the glass substrate 183 of the retarder 180.In this manner, the image display section 130 and the retarder 180 arelaminated together. The laminating step can enable the adhesion layer300 to have an even thickness, thereby enhancing the flatness of theimage display section 130 and the retarder 180 and the degree ofparallelism between the image display section 130 and the retarder 180.

On completion of the laminating step, the adhesion layer 300 preferablyhas the same thickness as the opaque sections 190. In the laminatingstep, the roller may be rotated so as to move in the direction in whichthe right eye image generating regions 162 and the left eye imagegenerating regions 164 are adjacent to each other, as illustrated inFIG. 19. Alternatively, the roller may be rotated so as to move in thedirection orthogonal to the moving direction illustrated in FIG. 19,that is to say, in the direction in which the right eye image generatingregions 162 and the left eye image generating regions 164 extend.

After the laminating step, the image display section 130 and theretarder 180 may be aligned to each other. Here, the alignment may bemade easier by mixing a silica filler, as a spacer, into the adhesionlayer 300. Note that the entire surface applying step, the layeringstep, and the laminating step may be carried out within a vacuum furnacewith a reduced pressure. In this case, the resin can be deaerated moreeffectively, which results in a higher productivity.

Although some aspects of the present invention have been described byway of exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that those skilledin the art might make many changes and substitutions without departingfrom the spirit and the scope of the present invention which is definedonly by the appended claims. For example, the opaque sections 190 areprovided on the borders between the right eye polarization regions 181and the left eye polarization regions 182 in the present embodiment.However, the opaque sections 190 may not be necessarily provided ifcrosstalk can be prevented without the opaque sections 190. By omittingthe opaque sections 190, the viewing angle can be further increased.

1. A three-dimensional image display apparatus comprising: an imagedisplay section that includes an image generating section constituted bya right eye image generating region for generating right eye image lightand a left eye image generating region for generating left eye imagelight, the image display section emitting (i) the right eye image lightas linearly polarized light whose polarization axis extends in a givendirection and (ii) the left eye image light as linearly polarized lightwhose polarization axis extends in a direction parallel to the givendirection; a retarder that is positioned in front of the image displaysection in a light proceeding direction, the retarder including a righteye polarization region and a left eye polarization region; an adhesionlayer that adheres together an exit surface of the image display sectionand an entrance surface of the retarder, the adhesion layer beingprovided in a region in which the right eye polarization region and theleft eye polarization region of the retarder overlap the right eye imagegenerating region and the left eye image generating region of the imagedisplay section; and an adhesion region that adheres together aperiphery portion of the image display section and a periphery portionof the retarder, wherein when the right eye image light and the left eyeimage light emitted from the image display section are respectivelyincident on the right eye polarization region and the left eyepolarization region of the retarder, the retarder (I) emits the righteye image light as linearly polarized light whose polarization axisextends in a certain direction and emits the left eye image light aslinearly polarized light whose polarization axis extends in a directionorthogonal to the certain direction, or (II) emits the right eye imagelight as circularly polarized light whose polarization axis rotates inone direction and emits the left eye image light as circularly polarizedlight whose polarization axis rotates in an opposite direction, a glasstransition temperature of an adhesive forming the adhesion region ishigher than a glass transition temperature of an adhesive forming theadhesion layer, and the glass transition temperature of the adhesiveforming the adhesion region is 80° C. or higher, and the glasstransition temperature of the adhesive forming the adhesion layer is 0°C. or lower.
 2. The three-dimensional image display apparatus as setforth in claim 1, wherein a plurality of adhesion regions are providedalong an edge of the retarder, and are spaced away from each other. 3.The three-dimensional image display apparatus as set forth in claim 2,wherein the plurality of adhesion regions adhere a side surface of theretarder and the image display section to each other.
 4. Thethree-dimensional image display apparatus as set forth in claim 3,wherein the image display section includes a glass substrate and apolarization plate that is attached to a surface of the glass substratewhich is closer to the retarder, and the plurality of adhesion regionsadhere the glass substrate and the retarder to each other.
 5. Thethree-dimensional image display apparatus as set forth in claim 4,wherein the plurality of adhesion regions are spaced away from thepolarization plate.
 6. The three-dimensional image display apparatus asset forth in claim 4, wherein the retarder includes a glass substratethat supports the right eye polarization region and the left eyepolarization region, and the plurality of adhesion regions adhere, atleast, a pair of opposing edges of the glass substrate in the retarder,to the glass substrate in the image display section.
 7. Athree-dimensional image display apparatus comprising: an image displaysection that includes an image generating section constituted by a righteye image generating region for generating right eye image light and aleft eye image generating region for generating left eye image light,the image display section emitting (i) the right eye image light aslinearly polarized light whose polarization axis extends in a givendirection and (ii) the left eye image light as linearly polarized lightwhose polarization axis extends in a direction parallel to the givendirection; a retarder that is positioned in front of the image displaysection in a light proceeding direction, the retarder including a righteye polarization region and a left eye polarization region; an adhesionlayer that adheres together an exit surface of the image display sectionand an entrance surface of the retarder, the adhesion layer beingprovided in a region in which the right eye polarization region and theleft eye polarization region of the retarder overlap the right eye imagegenerating region and the left eye image generating region of the imagedisplay section; and an adhesion region that adheres together aperiphery portion of the image display section and a periphery portionof the retarder, wherein when the right eye image light and the left eyeimage light emitted from the image display section are respectivelyincident on the right eye polarization region and the left eyepolarization region of the retarder, the retarder (I) emits the righteye image light as linearly polarized light whose polarization axisextends in a certain direction and emits the left eye image light aslinearly polarized light whose polarization axis extends in a directionorthogonal to the certain direction, or (II) emits the right eye imagelight as circularly polarized light whose polarization axis rotates inone direction and emits the left eye image light as circularly polarizedlight whose polarization axis rotates in an opposite direction, a glasstransition temperature of an adhesive forming the adhesion region ishigher than a glass transition temperature of an adhesive forming theadhesion layer, and the glass transition temperature of the adhesiveforming the adhesion layer is −20° C.
 8. The three-dimensional imagedisplay apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein a plurality ofadhesion regions are provided along an edge of the retarder, and arespaced away from each other.
 9. The three-dimensional image displayapparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the plurality of adhesionregions adhere a side surface of the retarder and the image displaysection to each other.
 10. The three-dimensional image display apparatusas set forth in claim 9, wherein the image display section includes aglass substrate and a polarization plate that is attached to a surfaceof the glass substrate which is closer to the retarder, and theplurality of adhesion regions adhere the glass substrate and theretarder to each other.
 11. The three-dimensional image displayapparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the plurality of adhesionregions are spaced away from the polarization plate.
 12. Thethree-dimensional image display apparatus as set forth in claim 10,wherein the retarder includes a glass substrate that supports the righteye polarization region and the left eye polarization region, and theplurality of adhesion regions adhere, at least, a pair of opposing edgesof the glass substrate in the retarder, to the glass substrate in theimage display section.